A “deceleration” lane at the Hampton Parkway still may be included in the project to widen U.S. 278.

Brent L. Rewis, a program manager with the S.C. Department of Transportation, said Monday the state will conduct a traffic study to determine if the deceleration lane is warranted.

“The department has taken into consideration requests to look at that intersection,” Rewis told the Beaufort County Council.

“We will look at traffic counts in the next couple of weeks,” Rewis said. “Based on traffic division recommendations, if warranted, we will put in a right-turn lane under current funding conditions.”

His comments came as a relief to council members, Bluffton officials and a number of residents who regularly travel from the Hampton Parkway on and off U.S. 278.

Original highway department plans didn’t provide for a right-turn, deceleration lane because the parkway is so close to the bridge spanning the Okatie River headwater marshes.

Five residents of the Hampton Lake area addressed the County Council during a public comment period asking that the deceleration lane be included in the widening project.

Hampton Lake resident Robert Mitchell said more than 600 homes in the area use the parkway to access U.S. 278.

“We believe the existing deceleration lane should be kept in place and also you should keep the left-turn median cut,” Mitchell said.

“Personally, I’m happy that median cut is closed. It’s very dangerous,” said Michael Brock, a resident of the Hampton Lake area. “But the deceleration lane, I don’t understand why that should be taken out, even though it (U.S. 278) will be three lanes there. I ask that you maintain the decel lane.”

Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka said she understands why the new construction will eliminate left turns from the Hampton Parkway, across three lanes of traffic, onto U.S. 278.

“I’m fine with the right-in, right out. I get it. But anybody who looks at it on the ground understands the need for the deceleration lane,” Sulka said.

“We think the traffic count will justify it; and even if it doesn’t, it’s still better for public safety,” said Bluffton Town Manager Anthony Barrett.

County Council Chairman Weston noted that there already are more than 40 deceleration lanes along U.S. 278.

“I hope your study comes back and suggests that it is appropriate to have the decel lane there,” Newton told Rewis.

“But if there are 45 other ones, I don’t know what the distinction is — though I understand the distance between the roadway and the bridge is an issue,” he said.

“I also hope the traffic count justifies the deceleration lane, but even if it does not I think it would be very difficult to not have that lane,” said Councilman Jerry Stewart.

Also on Monday, Rob McFee, director of the county Division of Engineering and Infrastructure, gave an update on the $23 million project to widen U.S. 278 from four to six lanes from Simmonsville Road to S.C. 170.

McFee said the drainage pipe installation work alongside the route is 95 percent complete.

And work on the new bridge over the Okatie River headwaters is scheduled to begin in mid-April, he said.